


It's the Little Things

by Fanofthearts



Category: Holby City
Genre: Did I Mention Fluff, F/F, Fluff, random meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 05:30:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18309152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanofthearts/pseuds/Fanofthearts
Summary: Meeting at random could Bernie be just what Serena needs?This picks up immediately after Serena stands singing with the carolers outside of the hospital.





	It's the Little Things

**Author's Note:**

> Iordio as always, you clean this stuff up and make it enjoyable.

Bloody Edward! She couldn’t believe she was so stupid as she raked her hand over her face. Yes, she could, she thought. The stress of her mother’s stroke, Elinor’s drug use, and then the final nail in the coffin; the absolute farce surrounding her being unsuccessful for the vacant CEO position. The board had known, yet had still made her go through the interview process. She felt was beyond humiliated, stressed didn’t even begin to touch what she was feeling and to top it off she was so damn lonely. 

She had snapped. He was there, he was convenient, he was…him. Charming, funny and he knew what buttons to press to get her to cave. She remembered why she fell for him in the first place. Stupid, stupid, stupid woman. She walked away from the WRVS’s attempt at caroling, headed towards her car but her feet took her around the corner to the peace garden. It was blissfully empty. 

She sank into a bench that was just starting to be covered with the slightest dusting of snow. She took a deep breath trying to keep the tears from falling. She didn’t want to go home, the house would be empty Ellie deciding to spend the week with Edward, she couldn’t go to her Mum’s, knowing just how condescending and withering her comments would be of her daughter’s failings in life. Who did she have? No one, nothing, nothing but her Harvard MBA and her job. Her job, would she still even have that? She took responsibility for Edward’s negligent ways. She took a stuttering breath and squeezed her eyes shut to stop more tears gathering. Automatically, she reached for her pendant, only to be stopped by her thick scarf. 

A noise made her jump, forcing her eyes open, she winced against the cold that was threatening to force her tears to spill over onto her cheeks. A woman stood at the arch to the peace garden, looking conflicted on whether to enter or not. She was tall and slim, with blonde hair billowing out from under a grey wooly hat, her pale pink coat was pulled tight around her. She shifted her weight as unlit fag dangled from her finger tips. Serena suddenly realised she didn’t want to be alone, something about this woman made feel comfortable, even from a distance. “Got another?” Her voice rasped out, gesturing to the cigarette. 

The woman gave a tight smile before walking over to Serena. She brushed the snow from the bench next to her and sat down reaching into her pocket for a brand new pack and a lighter. “I gave this up you know?” Her voice was soft, her fingers expertly plucked out another cigarette, brought both to her mouth and lit them, handing one to the woman next to her. Any other day Serena would have thought twice about taking a lit fag from a stranger, but not today. 

“I smoked off and on in college. I hate the taste, but love the numb, buzzy feeling of the nicotine.”

They sat in silence staring at the fountain wrapped in hessian for protection. The wind blew lightly around them as wisps of smoke rose above their heads into the orange glow of the streetlights and the barely visible stars. Serena stubbed out what was left of her cigarette and closed her eyes to the falling snow. She let her mind drift she almost forgot about the other woman, but the warmth of her body reminded her of her presence. She felt the tears burn again when she realised what she would be facing in the coming days. 

“Alright?” The voice made her jump.

“Sorry.” She chuckled, she shifted her feet curling more into herself. “It’s been a long day, long month actually.”

“I know the feeling.” 

Serena watched as the blonde turned her face up to the sky, her lashes blinking rapidly to ward off the flakes that landed on them. “I missed the snow, I never thought I’d say that.” She looked over, their eyes met. “I’m in the Army, I’m not home often. And wouldn’t you know, I'm home for Christmas for the first time in years and my youngest needed an appendectomy.”

“Oh no, is she…he okay?”

“She, and yes, just an overnight, but it’s still no fun when you’re nineteen and have to spend Christmas in hospital.”

Bernie smiled ruefully at her companion. She wasn’t one to talk much about herself to strangers in general but this woman had the saddest eyes she had ever seen outside of a war zone and the most beautiful face. She couldn’t help but try to get her to talk. 

“No, I can’t imagine it would be.” Serena felt the tears start again and cursed whatever god there was that she couldn’t get it together. She just wanted to leave, to get up go home to a nice quiet house, a flickering fire, and a glass of wine. Elinor wouldn’t be waiting. There was no one to help her carry the logs in from the garden shed for the fire, no one to curl up in front of it with. Her favourite time of year ruined by the wanker that was her ex-husband. She vowed to never let him in again, to never get close, to never trust him. Yet here she was, alone and possibly without a career. She stifled a sob, she hated crying especially in front of people. She was about to excuse herself when an arm circled her shoulders. She stiffened and went to shrug it off but she found herself pulled into the woman’s side. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay.” 

“I just…it’s everything, it’s just…and I” Serena was never a good crier. Crying daintily did not come easy to her. When her well armoured dam burst, it flooded everywhere. “I’ll be alone, and it will be cold and I just….”

“Let me take you home.” She felt the words vibrate in the other woman’s chest, her left ear pressed tightly against the wool of the pink coat. 

Serena pulled back, “I don’t even know you.”

The blonde smiled sheepishly and held out a hand. “Major Berenice Wolfe RAMC, at your service ma’am.” She shrugged, “Bernie.”

Serena let out a snort. “Serena Campbell, vascular surgeon and deputy CEO of...” She gestured to the building, “Well, I think, at least I was, when I walked out of the building.”  
Bernie quirked an eyebrow at her, “So what do you say? Let me give you a lift home? I’ll also be alone tonight, my son’s in Grenada, and visiting hours are over.”

“No partner waiting?”

Bernie shook her head, “Divorced.”

“Ahh, me too.” She couldn’t believe she was agreeing to this, “I have some leftover lasagne in my fridge…”

“A woman after my own heart.”

Serena felt herself blush at the comment, pushing her fleeting thoughts aside she stood, “Shall we?”

The drive to Serena’s was quiet, the silence only broken by Serena’s voice giving directions. Pulling up to her house she quickly ran through a check list of the house, satisfied it was in order she pushed the door open. Coats and shoes were shrugged off at the door as she led the way into the kitchen. 

“Wine, water, juice or… something else?” Serena asked.

“Whatever you’re having is fine.” Bernie said settling down on one of the bar stools in the kitchen. 

Serena nodded opening a bottle of wine she poured them both a glass before she began reheating the lasagne. They made small talk until going into the living room. They sat on the couch talking about shared work stories, Serena hanging on to every word Bernie spoke about difficult procedures she had performed in horrible situations. 

“Do you ever use your fireplace?” Bernie asked her face flushed from laughter and wine. 

“Yes, I just haven’t brought the logs in, I’m not home most nights to sit and enjoy a fire.”

“Would you like me to?”

“Oh, I couldn’t ask…”

“I’m offering.”

“Alright then.” Serena pointed Bernie to the little shed in the back of the garden, she flicked on the back light, watching as she rushed out in what was becoming a mini blizzard to fill the basket. Once she was back on the patio she helped her carry it through the house and into the hearth. By the time Serena had plated the food Bernie had a beautiful fire crackling in the room. They sat side by side knees brushing watching the flames dance. Before she could get up Bernie stood taking her plate from her and topped off her wine glass. 

“You don’t have to.”

“But I want to.” 

“You’re too kind, my own knight in shining armour.” 

Bernie let out a bark of laughter causing Serena to jump. “Shining armor? I’ve done nothing!”

Serena shrugged, “This is something.” She gestured between the two of them. “It's like a fairy tale.” She leaned her head against the back of the couch and looked up at Bernie. “I can’t remember the last time I had someone to make dinner for, even though it was just reheating. That I had someone bring wood in, someone that made me laugh until my sides ache or to stack the dishwasher.” She gave her a soft smile.

The blonde’s lips pulled upwards. “Thank you for inviting me.” They held each other’s gaze for a long moment before Bernie looked down and walked into the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned holding an old worn book. “I had this in my handbag. Charlotte was reading it in her Lit class and was insistent I read it.” She settled close to Serena, in the few hours that she knew her she found herself shocked how comfortable she was with her. “Figured I’d give it a try. Would you mind if I read aloud?”

Serena looked at her stunned remembering hours when her mother had read to her. She tried to recollect if anyone else had ever done so, she couldn’t recall. “I’d love that.” She pulled the throw down over top of their legs and settled in close, her head absentmindedly falling to Bernie’s shoulder.

“The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms.”

By the end of the first paragraph Serena already felt her eyes drooping. In the morning she would wake snug against Bernie’s chest, wondering and hoping that perhaps her nightmare had dissolved into a fairy tale.


End file.
